Halloween: The Curse of Thorn
by The Conclave
Summary: "In 1989, Michael Myers and Jaime Lloyd disappeared. And for 7 years you all tried to convince yourselves it was over. The Boogeyman was dead. But he will return and this time we're ready for him...Isn't that right Jamie?" A retelling of Halloween 6.
1. Chapter 1

1 November 1989 1:33 a.m. Haddonfield, Illinois.

The little girl shivers as she looks at the mangled burning bars, the brave Sheriff Meeker who tried so hard to save her, lifeless at her feet. She begins to run knowing He will be after her now. She makes it outside sneaking around the side, scanning through tear-filled eyes for the Shape. She stops as she sees his mask, but this is wrong, he is flanked by two men in black hoods while a third man with a gun motions towards the van. "Take him; I'll be along with the girl shortly." He racks the bolt on the gun. The little girl backs up until she hits something solid before she can scream a hand comes to her mouth.

Jamie shoots forward out of her seat as the flight attendant rears back. "Sorry miss; I just wanted you to know we'll be reaching O'Hare shortly." That's right she's on a plane. It's been nearly 8 years since that night. The night Michael Myers and Jamie Lloyd disappeared. The night they both escaped. And now here she was foolishly going back. _"Why? Why would you do that?"_ The voice echoes in her head as she stares out the window.

* * *

><p>17 October 1996<p>

"Why now?" The young Englishwoman puts her drink down as she stares at the even younger girl. Jamie turns her fork around over her salad.

"He's calling out to me. I could see him in the dark coming for me. I checked the signs, they are there. This Halloween he will awake."

"And? Let him stay in the States. They haven't found you in 7 years; you are too far from his reach. He has been active before, those men in black have let him kill. Why now, Jamie?"

Jamie shifts in her seat. "It feels different. I can't explain it, Tiffany. I-I just feel like I have to try to end it. I'm 16. My mother was 17 when he came for her; me being in London won't matter. Why have I been spending all this time studying with you if not to fight back?"

"Defending yourself is one thing, Jamie. That is what we have been learning, defense. Not to hunt monsters." Tiffany pleads her clear blue eyes relaying the gravitas of the situation.

"Tiffany, I…" She turns from her gaze to try and steel herself. "Tiffany, it is different for me and you know it. He will come for me and I'm tired of living in fear of him. It's not like that box. I was born in to this and it will follow me forever. I have to try and end it." She looks down as the tears fall from her eyes.

Tiffany looks down too. "And just how did you intend to hide this from Dr. Stevens."

Jamie looks up giving her a watery smile. "I have no idea. As soon as I'm gone I am sure she will try to reach Dr. Loomis. It's funny, I haven't heard from him in all these years."

Tiffany takes a drink from her cup, "I have the money and if it's not enough I can borrow some from Kirsty. Getting you there is easy but…along with Dr. Stevens having me arrested for kidnapping you…what am I going to do if you die because I helped you?"

Tiffany Alsop, the only person she's ever known who she could say was a kindred spirit. She grabs her hand, "He won't kill me. I'm ready for him."

* * *

><p>28 October 1996<p>

As she's queued up in customs she wonders just how long it will be before Lucy calls the police on Tiffany. Halloween just had to be on a Thursday. She steps up to the window and lays her passport down.

"Danielle Richards. England, huh. What brings you to Chicago?" The officer questions.

"Family reunion." She adds in her best imitation of her guardian Lucy Stevens. His stamp thunders.

After getting her notes exchanged in to dollars she hops on the bus for Haddonfield, her eyes fluttering as jet lag takes effect. She wraps her jacket around herself.

* * *

><p>8 year old Jamie struggles against the hand as a voice whispers in her ear, "Shh! Quiet, they'll hear. I'm not going to hurt you, I knew your mother." She quiets down but still struggles albeit a bit weaker as the Man in Black looks around. The headlights of the van come on. "Oh shit. Who the hell are they?" They duck down as the van turns around to leave. "We have to hurry. My name is Tommy Doyle, your mother use to be my babysitter." The Man in Black turns towards the station as Tommy leads her to his jeep.<p>

He drives off looking in to his rearview to make sure they are not followed. "What the hell happened back there?" He looks over to Jamie; she has her arms wrapped around herself sobbing quietly. He hesitates not knowing what to do. "We have to find someplace to hide. I wish I knew where Dr. Loomis was."

"He's at the Hospital, they took him there." She wipes her eyes.

"The Hospital? We'll that's as good a place as any." He turns sharply.

Samuel Loomis groggily looks around him as he hears a knock. "Dr. Loomis, your nurse Ms. Chambers is here." The nurse leads in a dark haired woman in to the room. Then leaves them. "I haven't worked for you in almost 6 years. I don't know why I keep answering the phone." She sighs as she sits by his bed.

"Good to see you Marion. Perhaps you can get them to let me go to the station." He tries to sit up but she simply pushes him back down. "You just had a stroke, Sam. You are no use to anyone now. You've won; rest on your laurels, at least for tonight."

The red jeep pulls in to the Hospital parking lot. "Ok…we just need to get in there now." He looks down at her seeing the treated wounds and blood covered princess outfit effectively for the first time. "Ok." He removes his black trench coat. "Here put this on, it'll cover up the blood." They get out of the car going towards the front door. He grabs her hand leading her inside trying to keep his head down and not call attention to himself. He goes up to the desk, "Excuse me, I'm looking for the room of Sam Loomis." The nurse, a bored Asian woman, looks up, "I'm sorry but visiting hours are over." Jamie hides her face in his side. "Besides we are under strict orders that no one is to see Samuel Loomis."

"I understand that but it is important I speak to him, please!" He raises his voice.

"Sir, am I going to have to call security?" Jamie looks up, just as Marion walks behind them.

"There you are Robert, I was afraid you did not get my message. Its ok he's with me, Dr. Loomis is his Godfather. I won't let them stay long." The nurse looks to argue but decides it's not worth it and waves them off. She grabs him by the shoulders leading him off, "Who are you and why is she here and not at the station?"

They step in to the room as Loomis' eyes widen, "No, why are you here?' Jamie stays by Tommy hiding in him. "Dr. Loomis do you remember me? My name is Tommy, Tommy Doyle. Laure Strode was my babysitter that night." Loomis searches his eyes for a moment then gasps trying to sit up, Marion rushes to his side, "My God Tommy, why are you here with Jamie?" "I'm sorry Doctor, I had to see him. So I came back to town and went looking. I followed the police back to the station. But when I got there…someone else had gotten there first. They were all dead and the cell had been ripped open."

"My God, he escaped."

Tommy steps forward, "He had help Doctor. When I found Jamie she was watching these men in black lead him in to a van. The lead guy had this big machine gun in his hand. He said he was going to get Jamie so I-I took her and she said you were here so."

"Why? Who would do this?" Loomis looks to the celling for answers as his hand clutches his bed sheets and Marion looks to the ground trying to come to grips.

"Whoever these guys are they took out an entire police station like it was nothing. I don't…think we're safe here." Jamie whimpers and Tommy rubs her shoulder.

"Lucy." Loomis whispers quietly, "Lucy." He says louder as they look to him, "That's it we need to hide her where they'll never find her. I need paper!" Marion reaches for her purse pulling out a notepad and pen. He begins scribbling then rips it off handing it to Marion. "I never told you I had a daughter did I?" Marion's eyes squint. "First thing's first, Tommy take Jamie somewhere safe and hide her."

Marion turns to face him, "Do you know where Langdon is?" Tommy nods. "There is a hotel there," she begins writing directions then teas it off handing him the note. "Check in under the name Robert Rosenthal. I will contact you there."

Tommy nods, he looks down at Jamie and smiles, "Alright kid, let's go for a ride." He leads her out as Marion sits down staring at the paper, "So much for the police doing their job." She reaches for her cigarettes but stops herself having some professionalism.

"We can't let anyone know where she is. Whoever these men in black were, they have to be quiet. They already killed so many to get to her."

Tommy leads Jamie out but stops suddenly when two obviously cops walk towards them. They duck towards a vending machine as they walk by. "Let's go." He leads her out faster.

There is a knock at the door; Marion pockets the note as two suited men step in. "Dr. Loomis, my name is Special Agent Magdoff this is Special Agent Foster, we need to ask you a few questions about what happened tonight."

Tommy helps her in before getting in himself. They turn off for the road out of town. "That was a close one." Tommy looks to her then back to the road. "Are you hungry? I got some Burger King left, maybe a bit cold. If you want we can stop at a gas station." She just stares out the window. Tommy breaths in, "Sorry, I know I'm not helping much. I'm doing the same thing they did when I was your age. It didn't help then either." She slowly turns her eyes towards him, he's staring straight ahead. "Like I said before, your mom was my babysitter when I was your age. She was watching us that night. The Bogeyman. Of course he wasn't after Lindsey or me so it's not entirely the same." He laughs humorlessly. "Either way your mom protected us, the least I can do is protect you. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

* * *

><p>Tommy opens his eyes, groggily raising his head from his desk. He yawns wide looking at his work. 3 more days until Halloween. He needs to be ready. He gets up checking the window to the Myers house. It's still midday everyone but Mrs. Strode is out. He stumbles over to the fridge, about empty, should probably go to the store. Almost 8 years since Myers had been seen but he knew it wouldn't last long. The constellation of the Thorn is near. He grabs his keys and heads out the door. He will be ready.<p>

Jamie adjusts the too big coat as she heads in to the depot to wait for the changeover as the intercom informs them the bus to Haddonfield would be late. She goes in the bathroom to freshen up smiling in the mirror as still not convinced the short red hair Tiffany convinced her to get was a suitable disguise. Although it did remind her of her mother. She touches her hair as the metal of her watch glints in the light.

* * *

><p>Jamie sits on the bed slightly turning the bracelet on her wrist, the light glinting off the surface. Tommy stops fiddling with the TV finding an old scifi movie and looks back to her. "That's a pretty bracelet." She looks up to him as he comes over, his eyes focus, "Billy…Hill?" He grins, "Is that your boyfriend?" She looks down sadden. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."<p>

"My Uncle went after him-they said he was still alive but…" She starts to tear up.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. We just have to stay hidden until that lady contacts us. We're pretty far from Haddonfield I'm sure we'll be ok." Although now Tommy realized they should have got her some clothes. But it was alright they didn't sleep for the rest of the night anyways.

About 10 the next morning Marion Chambers arrived at the hotel. She did bring clothes with her. She told them that the F.B.I. had come to speak to Loomis but he had convinced them he did not know where Jamie was. "I contacted Sam's daughter Lucy. It turns out she is a psychologist too. But it was kind of difficult to explain what was happening I only told her that he would phone in a few days with a matter of great importance. I was told it would be another two days before he will be released." Tommy looks down and nods. "Tommy, wouldn't your family be wondering where you are?"

"Nothing to do about that now. I'll call them later tell them I just had to get further from Haddonfield." He looks back at the bathroom where Jamie was. "I think she trusts me now, I'm not going to push her on someone else, it's the last thing she needs." Marion takes a drag from her cigarette. "If she does agree to take her, how are we supposed to get her out of the country?"

"Sam says he knows some people. He was in the War with them he says, a group of private investigators or something. He said they would help him get a hold of false papers." Marion takes another drag as the water stops.

"How long do you think that will take? I really don't think we're far enough from Haddonfield especially if Michael has help." He glances at the window as a shadow goes past.

"That is a bit hard to bel-" The door opens as Jamie, hair a tangled mess, emerges and meekly walks towards the grownups.

"Hey Jamie, you feel a bit better now?" Tommy asks, she nods, her hands wringing her hair.

"She certainly needs a brush or more likely she should probably have her hair cut. Her hair so long like that is quite noticeable." Marion reaches out and touches her hair.

* * *

><p>Jamie wipes the water off her face. A hand reaches down on her shoulder, she jumps turning back. "Shit." This blonde woman jumps back. "I'm so sorry; I just wanted to ask you if you knew the time? My watch seems to have stopped." Jamie steadies her breathing and smiles. "I'm sorry I was zoning out." She looks at her watch, "1:37." "Oh good, I didn't miss the bus to Haddonfield." Jamie's eyes slightly contract. "You're going to Haddonfield?" The woman smiles, "Yes, my sister is having a baby soon. Are you heading there?" She nods. "We're on the same bus then we'd better hurry or we'll miss it." Jamie grabs her backpack walking up the stairs with her.<p>

"Bus 43 for Smith's Grove, Haddonfield and Pontiac, now boarding." The scratchy intercom rings out. "We're just in time." The woman smiles again as they walk for the bus. Suddenly Jamie feels like time is slowing the closer she gets to the door. "-family for the holiday?" Jamie blinks, "I'm sorry." "I said are you visiting family for Halloween?" "Yes, sorry I've been traveling for a few hours I'm really out of it. I'm going to see my uncle." The woman hands her ticket to the driver as does Jamie. "I see. Well Haddonfield certainly is the creepiest place on Halloween, with all that history." She climbs on board. "So I've heard."

* * *

><p>Jamie looks in to her reflection in the window as the waitress places their order on the table. "Do you not like it?" She looks to him and back to the window, "It makes me look like a boy." He chuckles. "We'll that's not such a bad thing is it? Considering." She takes a drink of her milk shake. Tommy looks out the window at this car parked across the street; they are slightly hidden behind some bushes. Maybe they should have stayed in the hotel. He looks down to notice Jamie staring at the car too. "You know, I was thinking, maybe we should think of a new name for you." Jamie turns her attention to him, "Well there going to give you one anyways so we can at least try to come up with some ideas." He looks around the diner, rather sparse, no one was paying attention. "It can't be too obvious, though. Hmm." He takes a bit from his burger as he ponders it over. "How about-".<p>

* * *

><p>"Danielle." The woman, Mary, shakes her hand. "Sorry I don't mean to be a bother it's just…you seem so young to be traveling on your own." Jamie smiles, "I get that a lot. It's annoying to be in High School and everyone thinks your 13." They both laugh. "I haven't been to Haddonfield in years. I wonder if it has changed." "Oh I doubt they have, you know what they say, the more things change the more they stay the same."<p>

Tommy parks his red jeep on the street across from Vincent's drug. One of these days he should stop at a proper grocery store, but the extra price you pay on food is worth not having to deal with normal people. Tommy is fully aware of how weird he is, there's just not a lot to be done about it for now. He picks up a quart of milk. Turning he sees the costume aisle. After the "explosion" at the police station there was an unwritten ban on Halloween for the preceding 5 years before any real opposition to it began. Now the kids at the college are organizing this festival to try to bury the specter of Michael Myers once and for all. They even got that loud mouth radio host to broadcast from the event. He was sure Michael wouldn't like that.

Jamie looks out the window as the bus stops in Smith's Grove. Looking at the steel fences and the towering concrete structure she couldn't help but shrink back. There he was, for 15 years waiting, for her mother to reach the right age. Her eyes start to well up. Mary notices, "Are you alright Danielle?" She forces herself to look at the woman, "Yes just tired." "We'll be in Haddonfield shortly. You go ahead and rest your eyes, I'll wake you." Jamie looks back at the structure and can't help but feel like its calling to her. She doesn't dare sleep now.

Through the concrete halls and bars, in to the lowest depths lies a complete empty room with nothing but a cot. In the darkness lies the shape of a man reaching for his mask.

* * *

><p>Well…let's face it any way that Jamie Lloyd would be saved from being captured at the end of V would be a Deus ex Machina. It's really unavoidable. Well I could have had a dying Meeker tell her to run but I wanted her to see them putting Michael in to the van. For them to know that there was a bigger conspiracy at play. So the choice of Tommy Doyle was admittedly to give them a connection to each other and considering how the level of his obsession was portrayed in VI it's not unlikely an 18 year old Tommy Doyle would go looking for Michael that night. Also for the bigger project that this is a component of I had to come up with a timeline which included the birth of major and minor characters. I pushed back the events of VI to 1996 instead of 1995. Mostly cause it was easier for me to believe a 16 year old faking 18 than a 15 year old especially for travelling purposes. As for the name of Jamie alias obviously the first name is for her actress but the second name comes from Curtis Richards who novelized the first film…probably I don't remember entirely. Rosenthal the director of II…and Reserection…<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

*knock* Tommy opens the door as the latch chain pulls taut. "It's me Tommy." Jamie sits at the table crayon in her hand looking worried as Tommy unlatches the lock. Marion wearing dark glasses comes in with a man wearing a fedora and a rain coat. Jamie stands abruptly backing up as the crayons roll to the floor. "Who's he?" Tommy questions his fist clenched. It had been four days since Halloween and two days since he'd last seen Marion, now she is with this strange older man.

"My apologies, Mr. Doyle, you are wise to question me." The man speaks with a renounced accent and removes his hat, "My name is Faxon Atherton and I am the owner of the Blackwood Detective Agency based in Boston although we have affiliates around the country. Samuel Loomis is a dear friend of mine. We were both POWs during the war. I am here to help."

Tommy tentatively walks forward and shakes his hand, "What is it you are going to do?"

"Why I'm going to get this little girl out of the country." Atherton smiles.

* * *

><p>Tommy places his basket on the counter as the bus pulls in front of the shop. Jamie breathes in sharply; it looks exactly the same from the last time she was there with Rachel. When she bought the costume. She steps from the bus. Mary grabs her things and turns back to Jamie. "Are you going to be ok, hon. I can ask my brother-in-law to give you a ride." Jamie shakes her head, "No I remember where to go. Thank you for the company." The woman cups her shoulder. At that moment Tommy looks out the window as she turns adjusting the backpack on her back, he looks at the coat. Jamie turns back looking behind her and he sees her face. "Cash or charge?" Tommy looks back to the clerk, he fumbles with his wallet. Tossing down some money, "Keep the change." Gathering up his groceries he rushes out.<p>

Jamie looks around her walking briskly. The overarching trees lined down the streets, the 6 foot hedges, definitely not North London. She starts to remember. Remember running down these streets, isolated, no one to save her. She turns a corner; not really sure where she is going. She needs to find a hotel but more than likely her feet are leading her to the Caruthers House, her old house. Rachel. She never knew what happened to them or to anyone. She tried to use that internet to find what had happened. She found a lot on the murders but not much about what happened to everyone else. She stops and turns around. ~I guess 8 years is a long time, I don't remember the way~ She turns down a side street trying to recall the way to the house. As she is turning something catches her eye. A figure steps behind the hedge. Jamie backs up slowly keeping her eye on the hedge. She nears the edge of the street she turns as something crashes in to her, a child in a clown mask. She jumps back against a chain-link fence as the boy and his friends wearing masks as well run by laughing.

Jamie tries to keep her breathing down, she closes her eyes but it won't slow. She shakily covers her mouth squatting down, tears welling in her eyes. "Jamie?" She falls to her side crawling backwards towards the street. "Jamie it is you! Jamie, it's me Tommy!" Jamie stops for a second looking at him. "Tommy Doyle?" He smiles sideways, bending down and shifting his groceries to his left. "Still have my coat I see." She reaches forward and hugs him.

* * *

><p>The next day Atherton arrived with a set of papers and a new identity for Jamie Lloyd, that of Danielle Richards, American niece of Dr. Lucy Stevens. They hadn't seen Loomis since that night at the Hospital. He had told Marion that he was sure they would be watching him expecting him to have her. Tommy asked to take her to the airport himself, so he went along with Atherton to O'Hare.<p>

He drops her near the gate. "I don't want to go. What if they follow me or I get lost?" Tommy adjusts his coat she's still wearing. A simple black raincoat looking all the much longer for how short she is. "Once you're out of Illinois you'll be safe. This jacket will keep you hidden; no one pays attention to a raincoat." He adjusts the coat around her, "Atherton said this will take you straight to Mrs. Stevens, she'll take good care of you."

"Final boarding for Flight D26 to Heathrow is now beginning." The attendants announce. "That's you, kid. Don't worry one day I promise you we will stop him." She gives him a hug before he leads her to the attendants. She turns back as he waves and they close the boarding gate.

* * *

><p>He helps her off the ground, "I can't believe you're here. Than it is true he is coming home." Jamie breaths out then nods, "I can feel him. Even in London I could feel him. That's why I had to come back." Tommy suddenly feels self-conscious and begins looking around; he really shouldn't have yelled her name like that. "We better go. Where we're you planning on staying I just saw you get off a bus back there." Jamie shrugs, "I didn't really think that far. I was going to try and get a hotel." She trails off. Tommy snickers, "You come all this way to fight your Uncle and you don't even figure out a place to stay?" He walks past her. She follows, "It was hard enough getting back to the States as is. Lucy is going to lose it when she realizes I'm gone."<p>

"Loomis' daughter, I'm glad to know you were alright. That guy Atherton only ever told me you made it and I haven't seen him since." Tommy turns off on another street. "Well lucky for you I live in a boarding house with a vacancy. There is only one problem." He breathes in deeply, "It is directly across the street from the Myers House." Jamie stops. Tommy turns to face her; she is almost overwhelmed by her memory of that night but shakes it away. "Good."

A yellow school bus drives past them, Danny Strode sees them walking by and turns to face the rest of the bus. He was alone; most kids were not going to sit with the new kid living in the bogeyman's house and on top of that a short life of chronic uncertainty did not leave him with much social skills. Children are cruel but they bore easy without reinforcement. He just keeps staring off. Waiting. Not consciously but nevertheless. He stops a few blocks from his house. It's better that way.

"Are you sure she will let me move in with such short notice?" Jamie looks around as at the Halloween decorations, another long seen sight. "I'm sure Mrs. B. won't mind, she's very…laidback." He stares at the house slowing just the slightest with it in his eyesight. Jamie tightens up as well until she notices the blonde boy going to the house. "There's a child living there?!" She quickens her pace. "Yeah, the relatives of the family that adopted your mother." She stares at Tommy, "Why would anyone move in there?"

Danny closes the backdoor. "Mom! Grandma!" A muffled clang rings out from the ajar basement door. He puts his backpack on the floor. He shuffles towards the door. His sneakers grating on the floor boards which creak as he places his hand on the door. He begins to push it slowly open, "Danny is that you?" He steps back before realizing it's his grandma. "Yes grandma!" "Come help me will you?" He looks once more towards the back door before descending. A hatted shadow sweeps across the door.

Tommy open the front door, an elderly woman stares glassy eyed at the television set. "Hello Mrs. B., I want you to meet my cousin Danielle." Jamie steps forward in to the living room, the old woman slowly turns to see her. The old woman suddenly seems to gain clarity as she looks at her, "Oh hello my dear, I am Martha Blankenship." She rises from her chair to greet the young woman. Her grip is stronger than it would seem. "Mrs. B., my cousin is in town to tour the college she was wondering if she could rent the back room for a few days." "Oh I don't see why not it's just sitting empty as is."

"Thank you very much Danny." The two of them carry a load of wash up from the basement, "I think maybe tomorrow I'll do sheets." Silently Danny puts the basket down, she smiles sympathetically. Debra Strode is a well-meaning woman she just came from a different time. One when these things must be endured and kept from the public eye. "Would you like a snack? I was thinking spaghetti tonight, how about you?" She moves to the pantry. Her voice muffled by the enclosed space. They had been here about seven months and to say it has been uneasy would be insultingly understated. He liked his grandma and Uncle Tim and they tried to make him feel welcome. His grandpa cared little for his mom and him but he wasn't the problem. It was the voice man. A few weeks after he moved in he started to see him. Always at the foot of his bed his face covered by an old hat, telling him to take the knife. He had told his mother about the voice man but she said he just saw his grandpa's hat and coat in the hallway. He couldn't tell her how even during the day he sometimes feels as if he is being watched just out of the corner of his eye. "We can dip in to the Halloween candy, just a little." She smiles at him opening the bag.

"If there is anything you need I'm just down the hall." Jamie nods, "Thank you Mrs. Blankenship." Jamie takes off her back pack and coat. The room is pretty big more than enough room but rather sparse. She pulls her backpack open pulling out the few clothes she brought along with her notes. These charms and spells she was betting her life on. She takes the folder and goes down the hall knocking on Tommy's door. "You like your room?" He motions her inside, "Yeah I don't need much. And it's facing away from the house." She looks around his room. The walls were littered with posters and news clippings.

"HALLOWEEN KILLER ESCAPES FROM ASYLUM."

"HORROR IN HADDONFIELD: MICHAEL MYERS CLAIMS 16 LIVES."

"REIGN OF TERROR ENDS AS MYERS PERISHES IN VIGILANTE EXPLOSION."

"November 1, 1978. DOYLE & WALLACE SURVIVE BABYSITTER BLOODBATH."

"November 3, 1989. JAMIE LLOYD FEARED DEAD IN POLICE STATION MASSACRE."

She walks over to a picture of her pinned on the wall along with a web of family history. "I really do look entirely the same as a kid, don't I?" Tommy shrugs, "Like I said the fact you were wearing the coat helped. But the red hair did throw me off." She smiles glancing to him, "That was my friend Tiffany's idea; she figured it would make a better disguise."

Tommy furrows his brow, walking towards her, "You told her about him?" Jamie turns from the wall, "She's like me. A survivor of Hell, literally in her case." She walks over to his desk setting the folder down on top of it. "Together we have been searching for years trying to figure out a way to stop him once and for all." He walks over looking at the folder. "I've been working on things too based on a theory I had involving a constellation." He sits at his desk, "The Thorn." They both say turning to look at each other. "So it is true?" He pulls up the constellation program on his computer.

Jamie pulls out her astrological chart, "I remember as a kid he had the thorn on his wrist. So we used that as a starting point to find where his power came from." Tommy pulls up another window with the runes arranged in rows. "It seems we have a lot of the same knowledge. I take it you believe runes hold the key to canceling his power?" Jamie flips through the papers pulling out a diagram, "A Seiðr ritual. More Norse than Celtic but from what we can find the most authentic. It should work, Freya willing." Jamie bites her lip.

Kara Strode trudges listlessly along the sidewalk home. Not that it's any kind of real home. She took off at seventeen to get out of that mess, especially when she found she was pregnant. She didn't want her son to go through that, bad enough her and her brother had to endure it. That was always the term, "endure." Of course that was back when they lived in Chicago before her father drank his half of the realty company to Haddonfield. In the end she couldn't keep Danny out of the mad house for long. Desperation won out in the end. Any mother can suffer for their children; that's why they needed to go back. With an education she can get them as far from the Strode house as possible. The scraping by and the ducking landlords was no better than that house. The effect it all had on Danny was obvious. She reaches up tugging her hair loose, fully aware of how rung out and skeletal she looked. It would all pay off soon, she kept telling herself. They will escape this house soon.

Jamie watches Kara walk in to the yard. ~Oh God another one.~ She wraps her arms around herself. "That house looks so different from the last time I was there. Seems so much smaller." She walks towards the family/victim web; Tommy looks up from her notes. "It probably is. They must have remodeled that house 6 or 7 times trying to sell it. In the end they never could, no doubt that is why John Strode moved in. His brother adopted your mother. He has a wife and two kids, his younger son Tim is dating Beth from across the hall. His daughter Kara is living in Judith's room." Jamie starts to turn around, "Her son Danny is living in his room." She turns back to the web. She puts her fingers on her mother's face. "They have to know what happened. How can anyone live in this town and not know."

"You're talking about a town that sold his mask up until they banned Halloween. Not to mention," He turns in his chair, "John Lloyd is kind of a prick. I don't imagine he would volunteer that information." She removes her hand from the picture, "When are you going to ask me about your adopted family?" She faces him, arms wrapped looking anywhere else. "I'm afraid to know." Tommy stands moving to a shelf of assorted papers grabbing a folder with her name on it. He sits back down opening it up, "Well the Caruthers did end up leaving Haddonfield as you would expect. As far as I know they are still in Northern Illinois. I tracked them to Brandwood. Your friend Billy," Jamie looks up, "he did survive that night. A doctor, a nurse and four officers were killed but he escaped the clinic. His family moved him out of state to try keep the reporters from hassling him. I don't think his family did believe that Michael was dead." He breaths out audibly, "Not like everyone else in this damn town." He drops the file on the desk.

Jamie stares at it then back to Tommy, "Why are you after him? Why have you spent so much time searching for him? Lindsey never did." He breaths in sharply, "Until '88 I didn't care much. Your mother was my babysitter, I looked up to her, and she was always kind to me. She didn't deserve any of that. Then he came back and tore this town apart. It took them years to convince me he wasn't the bogeyman and for a while I did believe them. But after that second night, I knew that I was right. And then I saw what he did to you. He wasn't after me and Lindsey that night. I wouldn't have made it like you did. I had to help you escape knowing it would seal my fate." He looks to a drawing he did of Finn Mac Cumhail leading the Fianna and snickers, "That monster has no right to exist. Loomis, if he's still alive, can't hunt him forever."

She nods, "I haven't heard from him at all the whole time I was there. Lucy didn't seem to care for him much. She said she only saw him intermediately between 1957 and '71 then not at all after that. I guess Michael took all of his time. I do know he did send her money on my behalf but it was always through complicated means."

Tommy nods, "How was your life there?" Jamie smiles, "Hard at first. Lucy was a widow. It took a while for us to become use to one another, especially with my nightmares. Eventually though…" She trails off, "I was never really comfortable until I was twelve and Lucy decided I need to start empowering myself. So she enrolled me in a judo class. That is where I met Tiffany. Even though she was eighteen we just clicked. I was so shy and so was she. Those weren't the only things we had in common it would turn out. When I told her about Michael, she cried, because she wasn't alone." Jamie walks over to the bed sitting down. "She told me what happened to her. About a box that can open the gateway to Hell and the demons that guard it." Tommy leans forward, "needless to say, that's when we decided to study the occult."

Kara finishes talking to her mother and marches up stairs to her room. "Danny." She calls but he doesn't reply, she quickens her pace. "Danny!" she calls again at the end of the hall. She moves through the hall to his room, she enters as he turns over a paper on his desk. "There you are. Why didn't you answer m-" She sees the wrappers on the desk, "Oh I see, someone has been going through the candy." She smiles. "Grandma said I could have some." "Well ok then but try to save some for Halloween. It's not that far away." She turns to her room as Danny expressionless takes hold of a red crayon. He forces it in to the paper absentmindedly. When he finishes he places it on his wall. Staring.

Jamie stands to get the file but notices something in the Myers window, she goes to the camera. "Did you see something?" She looks in to the viewfinder to see Kara laying her stuff on her bed; she turns back to Tommy shocked. "What? What is it?" He moves towards the window. "You perv!" She punches him in the shoulder, "You can see in to her bedroom?" He grabs his shoulder, "Ow. It's not like that, its Judith's bedroom across from Michael's. He'll likely go there first."

Jamie laughs picking up her magick folder, "Ok. If we are going to pull this plan off together, we are going to need help to get in that house. And I don't think they are going to let in the neighborhood peeping tom." Tommy's face become indignant, Jamie faces him full on. "I think we need to find Dr. Loomis." They turn to his picture hanging on the wall.

* * *

><p>This seems like a good place to pause. Also that was an embarrassing typo I apologize for those who suffered it. Originally way back when I decided to keep Jamie alive and effectively rewrite VI, I had originally intended to have Jamie living in the boarding house longer and that is how she would meet Tommy. But it's probably better this way. Also I was going to draw out them running in to each other until later but then it is the question of how does she find out about the boarding house? Plus if we are viewing this as a film it does kind of work to have them run in to each other the way they did. Also I will admit the idea for Jamie to study the occult was from an interview I read years ago with Robert Englund suggesting it as a hook for getting Michael in to the fight between Kruger and Voorhees. Made sense to me.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Marion Whittington pushes her door open fumbling with her keys. As she flicks on the light the phone begins to ring. She looks to the phone, but choses to light her cigarette instead. Exhaling, "They better not be calling me in again." She walks over to the persistent ring, "Hello!"

"Yes this is London calling Marion Chambers." Marion removes the cigarette from her mouth. "Speaking. London?" The operators sharp voice rings in again, "Yes, Lucy Stevens. Will you accept the call?" Marion wobbles just a bit, "Y-yes I accept." "Patching you in." It had been nearly 8 years since she had spoken to this woman; Loomis' secret daughter in their plot to hide the Lloyd girl. She takes another drag as she moves to the dead bolt; this wasn't going to be good. "Hello is this Marion Chambers?" An accent not too unfamiliar but strange coming from such a feminine voice, "Yes, Dr. Stevens I presume. It has been some time." The woman on the other line sounds as if she's taking a drink, "Jaime's gone."

Jaime lies down on her temporary bed, looking around at the charms and rune spells she's posted up. She figured Lucy would have found out by now what had happened. She wanted Tiffany to get as little blame as possible so she did not let her cover for her. Instead and most complicatedly she mailed a letter to the house explaining. She had Tiffany take her to Heathrow instead of going to class and left a note saying she was going shopping afterwards. She also told Tiffany to stay with Kirsty. Knowing Lucy she wouldn't have read the mail until well after dinner. She simply said she had to set things right. That she would return soon. Really what could Lucy do? Tell the Illinois state police a runaway from London is looking for Michael Myers. She couldn't risk the men in black finding her. Perhaps she would even call Loomis. She never could find any contact information for him, not at the house nor at her office. She hears knocking and rolls off the bed reaching the door, "Who is it?" "Tommy."

Marion looks around suddenly feeling so paranoid, "How can she be gone? Did they find her?" Lucy breaths out, "No I don't think so. Jaime planned this. She even sent me a letter knowing I wouldn't read the mail until later. It says she had to go back and set things right. I am convinced she is in Haddonfield waiting for Him." Her voice breaks a bit and it sounds like she is taking another drink. "Why would she do that? Go looking for him?" Marion had all but forgotten the cigarette in her hand. "For the last few years she has been trying to find a way to kill him once and for all. I don't know entirely what that way is but she must think she found it. I don't know what to do. I can't tell the authorities in case those men are listening. And if I rush there to find her…the secret will be out." She breaths in shakily, "I should have known when she dyed her hair."

Marion brings the cigarette back to her lips; she had no idea what to do either. "I will have to speak with Sam." "My father," her voice takes on a hard edge, "he would use her as bait just as he did before." Marion shrugs, "He has…calmed in his later years. The stroke took much out of him. However if Jaime Lloyd is in Haddonfield then she will also seek out Sam. Especially if she wants to find Him."

Jaime stares in to the dinner window, this seems familiar. ~Doubt I could pass as a boy now.~ She smirks. Tommy places his burger back on the plate, "Loomis has been a recluse for years. He sees few people. However I think I remember his Nurse, the woman that helped us back then. I think she is our best bet in getting in contact with him."

Tim Strode laughs heartily pulling his girlfriend along the street, "I can't believe you actually got Barry to come to the rally." She joins in his laughter, "Barry is going to help us final make some changes in this tomb." Beth scans the streets painted with orange and black, the Halloween decorations it has taken years to get back on the streets. She turns grabbing his hands leading him, "If you're good I'll let you be on stage with me when he interviews me." His eyes widen, "No shit? Wow." She stops walking, "Well, what can you do to convince me?" He leans in, "I can think of a few things." He connects slowly at first then growing in intensity. *HONK* They jump as a car rides past them getting them off the edge. "Asshole!" She yells annoyed the mood is broken. She brushes her hair behind her ear noticing the dinner window. Tim keeps speaking; she steps around him, "Hey, what is it?" He follows her eye line, to Tommy and Jaime. "Isn't that the guy who lives across from you?" She strains her neck, "Yeah, not sure who the girl is though." Tim laughs, "Good that's just what he needs." She scoffs, "Tim look at her. She can't be more than sixteen at the most." He wraps his arms around here stomach pulling her, "So it's his problem come on."

"As soon as you hear anything please tell me. Yes, thank you very much. Have a good evening." Lucy hangs up the phone and finishers her glass. She wraps both hands around it, leaning in to her desk. To say that she took her father's request well 8 years ago is a bold lie indeed. To have the man who abandoned her for America ask her to take in another little girl was supreme irony. She places the glass down and reaches for the bottle. She could remember the terror in that child's huge eyes that made her believe everything her Father had said. When her husband died, she gave up on any concept of motherhood, not that her own upbringing left her partial to it. To say it took getting use to was a given. The night terrors, the fear of strangers, sure she knew trauma but in her own home. Nevertheless there was just something so endearing about that child. Before long she was her daughter. She raises the glass to her lips. ~Damn that man, Samuel Loomis.~

Marion reaches for a bottle of Irish. ~Damn that man, Samuel Loomis.~ She goes to the icebox with a tumbler. Surprisingly it had been at least two years since Loomis had her do any work related to Myers or even mentioned his name. Of course with the 20 year anniversary fast approaching it really was only a matter of time. She pours her drink, shifting it around before downing it and pouring another. Sam had no phone so she would have to go to his home outside Haddonfield. She'd been trying to get him to move to Langdon for years. Really she could use the company since Robert died. And he won't last long either. She lights another cigarette. She will have to call in tomorrow. A little old to be tying one on but to hell with it. Every time she looks that girl in the eyes is a lie.

Jaime tosses in her bed as images flash before her eyes. Sounds of Children's laughter and fire. The sight of young boys bathing in the smoke as girls danced around them under the starlight accompanied by animals and bells. Then the face that's haunted her from childhood only it wasn't, this face was of silver and gold. As twelve robed figures stood around him, before them an altar the cries of an infant bleed through the laughter, the mark of thorn in blood on his chest. Jaime thrashes more violently, pleading with all she is worth. The figure walks closer to the altar his crooked knife raised.

"Please God, no." Jaime begs. He raises the knife slowly above his head as a chorus of voices rings out then suddenly breaks in to screams. Some of the crowd fall from arrow wounds. The figure turns as from the shadows run a group of dark men and wolves tattooed in blue paint with spears and swords drawn. Her breathing intensifies. The twelve shrouded men attempt to protect the ceremony by keeping the attacks at bay. Yet the masked man is distracted. Staring back is another figure, very tall with dark eyes much darker than the air around him. Behind him comes another man, he holds two blades in metal covered hands. He looks to the Dark Man then back grinning; suddenly he springs forward soaring straight for them. Her eyes pop open screaming soundlessly. Her hands, bone cracking tight, she weeps. Outside her door Mrs. Blankenship shifts languidly by.

Kara removes her glasses, much too late to be working. She wills herself up and over to Danny's room. He seems to be sleeping restfully for once. 'No visit from the voice man tonight.' She thinks as she turns off the light in his closet then shutting the door. That was what Danny had called him once; she assumed it was just the verbal abuse of her father. At least it hasn't progressed. She turns walking back in to her room in front of Tommy's gaze. He turns from the camera settling on his bed. "Nothing tonight." Jaime's mock accusation of voyeurism had perturbed him. Mostly because she might not have been wrong on some level. As he looks around he does wonder what happened. He starts up his program, The Michael Myers Project. This was his life; he could not change that now, even with everything he is not sure he would want too. He closes the program and pops in another floppy disk: Season of the Witch. Which is just a title and hope. Even before all this and as much as Michael terrifies him. He was always interested in this stuff. Horror, science fiction, fantasy; before 8 years ago he wanted to be writer or comic book artist. He glances at the clock but fatigue makes it unreadable. It would be a long day tomorrow. Only two more days till Halloween.

* * *

><p>29 October 1996<p>

Marion pushes herself off the couch. She reaches for the bottle, half an inch from the bottom of the label. Getting old. She looks at her watch, 8:47. Better call now and get it over with then hangover medicine. 45 minutes later and she feels somewhere near human. Though much too old to be dealing with this again, nor Michael Myers for that matter. She pops on her sunglasses and steps from the door dropping her keys. "Great." She kneels down to grab them. Two feet step in sight, "Marion Chambers-Whittington?" She stands quickly backing up to the door. "I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Tommy, Tommy Doyle. We met 8 years ago." He says gravely. She removes her glasses to get a better look, "So it is true." She opens her door, "Quickly inside."

Tommy steps in to the door she follows quickly resting against it as she locks it. He gives her room as she lights up a cigarette. "I take it Jaime was right and Dr. Stevens called you." She laughs humorlessly, "Last night when I got in from work. How in the hell did she find you again?" Tommy laughs as well, "Fate?"

Jaime poured through the literature; this dream had to have some significance it was too detailed not to. The Masked Man, the Dark Man and the Jumping Man. The warriors were obviously Picts covered in woad. So Scots raiding an Irish festival? She takes her face in her hands. ~There has to be a connection.~ Golden figure surrounded by twelve. Crooked knife. She moves her hands from her eyes looking ahead. She sees the picture of Finn Mac Cumhail. She goes to his bookshelf looking for Celtic mythology.

Marion reaches for another cigarette. Only three left, they better go soon. Luckily Tommy seems like he was done talking. "I was just on my way to see him. I assume you have a vehicle." He nods. "Good, follow me to Warren's Smoke Shop. It's just outside of Haddonfield. From there you'll ride with me to Sam's home."

All things considered this was a good morning, the Strode patriarch was in a hurry so he practically skipped out on breakfast and the remaining members could dine in that elusive feeling often referred to as peace. Kara sleepily treks across campus, the cascade of colors accentuating the leaves preparing for their final descent, lost to her world of diagrams and words. Also lost to her was the plastic and Styrofoam liturgies that have taken up the preoccupation of her peers. Both of which were a stark contrast to the atmosphere of the elementary which remains an institution giving a false sense of friendliness to the charges but leaves no acknowledgment to the season. Both parent and child step in to their perspective rooms, wishing they were together and somewhere far from Haddonfield, Illinois.

Tommy's Jeep and the Civic he's tailing just pass Haddonfield city limits. Tommy breaths out as his fingers reaffirm their grip on the steering wheel, an immense anxiety gripping him inexplicably. Perhaps it is because seeing Loomis will make it real. Meanwhile, Marion lights up her last cigarette; it'll be done before they reach Warren's. She readjusts her hand's grip on the steering wheel, keeping herself from turning off this path. In the last two years Sam had been better. Better than she had ever seen him. She takes a heavy drag. She looks in the rear view, the red jeep, carrying Loomis' death.

Jaime leans back in the chair, staring at the ceiling, arms draped at her side. She was right it had to do with a Cattle Raid. Of course the Christianization of Ireland has made the study of Celtic religions rather troublesome. Mission accomplished then. The most it mentions is a name, Crom Cruach, a fertility god connected to the festival of Samhain. The internet is turning up mush, so she'll need to find a better book. She pushes away returning again to the picture of her mother, funny how they never seem to remember her father. Or her little brother. Her eyes burn as she tries to remember their faces. All her pictures and mementos of them were lost. For all intents and purposes, Jaime Lloyd is dead. And Danielle Richards is her avenging ghost.

That sinking feeling in Tommy continues to assault his senses. "H-how has Dr. Loomis been all this time?" Marion exhales tapping the cigarette on the window, her expression unreadable. "Retired. He hasn't even mentioned Myers in years." Tommy looks back out the window. Guilt. So that's what it was. "I would have never believed it If I hadn't seen it myself." She takes a drag and slowly exhales. "I'm…sorry." Tommy looks at his hands. "Don't be. I guess I always knew I would be making this drive one day. I'm sure Sam did as well, that's why he stayed so close to Haddonfield." She pulls in to an almost hidden road amongst the trees and brush. Both hands grip the wheel as the road becomes rougher and more winding. "I hate this drive way." After a few minutes the road clears and a house comes in to view.

The house, filled with the clicking of keys interrupted by the sound of iron on hardwood, a reminder of the world that exists outside this room. Loomis turns to the door removing his spectacles; he takes hold of his cane making his way to the door. "Marion?" He opens the door as Marion remains fixed at the ground cigarette in her hand. "Marion, this is unexpected, I just put on some tea." He smiles. She looks in his eyes, "I've brought someone you've been waiting for." He turns to see Tommy walking from the car. "Dr. Loomis I-I'm Tommy Doyle." And just like that the joy is gone from his face, washed clean by a dark edge. Marion and Tommy flinch at the sound of the kettle, "Tea's ready."

Jaime looks through the viewfinder before signing heavily and taking a look around the room again. News articles, classic horror and Sci-Fi broad sheets, 1st edition comic books and survivalist tips. She grabs her coat rushing out of the claustrophobic environment.

Tommy stares around the room which he had to admit fit in with his expectations; a few tasteful antiques but mostly books and awards. In fact the only thing missing was any mention of Michael Myers. Loomis hobbles back in holding a tea tray. Tommy stands helping him with the tray. "Thank you. I apologize for not recognizing you the first time." They each take a cup, "No it's fine I purposely tried to change my appearance just in case…" They're all quiet for a moment. "I suppose I should start." Marion puts the cup back down, "Last night I received a call from London. It was Lucy; she said that Jaime had left England for Haddonfield." For a moment Loomis looked like death itself. "I woke up this morning intending to come here to tell you. That's when Tommy approached me on my door step."

Tommy places the cup back on the table untouched. "Jaime is safe, I found her. It was dumb luck, I happen to see her get off the bus and…I just knew it was her." "Where is Jaime now Tommy?" Tommy flinches for a second, "She's in the boarding house I live in. She's watching." Marion turns to him, "Watching?" Tommy nods, "The Myer's house."

Jaime wraps her coat around as the breeze hits her suddenly, slowly she walks around the corner of the porch the house coming more in to view. In her head the memories of her last night in Haddonfield assault her; she turns a way falling backwards on a chair. Slowly her resolve comes back as she forces herself to look at the house.

"What do you mean she is watching the house?" Marion is shocked she didn't think to ask him where she was before. "The boarding house is across the street from the Myer's home, and my room directly looks over it. I figured that the base of the light house is the darkest. We'll see them coming before they see us." Loomis remained quiet taking it in. "As it turns out Jaime and I had come to many of the same conclusions." He hands him his red folder.

Jaime curls up on the chair still taken with the House and how radically different it looked. Apparently it didn't look different enough as there were still paint cans and loose lumber lying around. Debra Strode steps outside gathering some of these materials in to a semblance of order. Before she realized Jaime was standing gripping the railing. She should go over there. She has to say someth- "Hello!" She jumps as does the girl. "Oh Jesus!" "I-I'm sorry I was zoning out." The girl nods seeming to buy it calming down. "Don't-wait have I seen you before somewhere?" A cold fear takes over Jaime but she tries her best not to show it in her face. "I'm sorry, that's right I saw you at the Diner last night. You were with Tommy. I'm Beth I live across the hall."

Jaime smiles tension easing somewhat, "Yes, Tommy is my cousin; my name is Danielle, I'm renting the back room for a while. I wanted to see what the college was like." Beth snorts reaching for a cigarette, "It's like everything else in this town, an out dated institution that refuses to move on with the times. But all that is going to change this Thursday." Beth gets a sly look on her face.

Loomis puts the file down, removing his spectacles, Tommy had been babbling on the entire time. "When I started to show Jaime the same work she said she and her friend in England had found much of the same information on the Thorn. This ritual we found should cut off Michael from the source, taking away all his power, turning him in to just a regular man. Removing him the curse can't go on." Loomis stares him in the eye, "What about Jaime? It took hold of her once before what is to stop it from happening again?" Tommy leans back searching for an answer, "Michael is the avatar of this force, the connection to this world. Without Michael it has no presence. If Jaime can stop him the curse dissipates and doesn't move on to the next family."

* * *

><p>I really didn't want to make Jimmy her father. I liked the character of Jimmy and it was good for Halloween II to have a character that showed her genuine sympathy but…he really dropped the ball there nearly getting her killed. Sure he had a severe concussion but still it's hard to get over that shit and still fuck the person. If they did get together you know she'd throw back in his face every time, "And you passed out on the fucking horn!" Cause I don't think he died, few people deserve to die that embarrassingly. Though I do have a list. Anyways, that really doesn't matter at this point.<p> 


End file.
